Dusk was falling on the second day of the battle of Loos. I was
pottering about looking for the other end of our line at the entrance
to Orchard Street trench. A voice hailed me: "'Ere, mate! Is this the
way aht?"
It came from a little Cockney, a so-called "walking" wounded case.
Immediately behind him there hobbled painfully six feet of complete
abjection.
I gave them directions, and told them that in two or three hundred
yards they should be out of danger. Then Jerry dropped a "crump." It
tortured the sorely-tried nerves of the long fellow, and when the
bricks and dust had settled, he declared, with sudden conviction:
"We're going to lose this blinkin' war, we are!"
His companion gave him a look of contempt.
"You ain't 'arf a long streak of misery," he said. "If I fort that I'd
go back nah an' 'ave another shot at 'em--even if you 'ad to carry me
back."--_"Lines," (33 (S) Bty), 24 Clifton Road, Maida Vale, W.9._
"Smudger's" Tattoo
"Smudger" Smith, from Hoxton, had just returned off leave, and joined
us at Frankton Camp, near Ypres. Not long after his arrival "Jerry"
started strafing us with his long-range guns, but "Smudger" was more
concerned with the tattooing which he had had done on his arms on leave.
I said they were very disfiguring, and advised him to have them
removed, giving him an address to go to when he was again in London,
and telling him the probable price.
Not very long after our conversation "Jerry" landed a shell about forty
yards away from us and made us part company for a while. When I pulled
myself together and looked for "Smudger" he was half-buried with earth
and looked in much pain.
I went over to him and began to dig him out. Whilst I was thus engaged
he said to me in a weak voice, but with a smile on his face:
"How much did yer say it would corst to take them tattoos orf?" And
when I told him he replied: "I fink I can get 'em done at harf-price
nah."
When I dug him out I found he had lost one arm.--_E. R. Wilson (late
East Lancs Regt.), 22 Brindley Street, Shardeloes Road, New Cross,
S.E.14._